story: (CNN) -- Iran's vital oil industry appears to be the latest front in a power struggle between President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei -- a fight that overseas analysts say the colorful president appears to be losing. 
  
  Ahmadinejad is trying to retain control of Iran's Oil Ministry despite a ruling by the country's top judicial body that he can't serve as its acting chief. It's the latest in a series of unusually public squabbles between Ahmadinejad and allies of Khamenei, the Islamic republic's clerical leader, in recent weeks. 
  
  Khamenei backed Ahmadinejad through the tumult that followed his hotly disputed 2009 re-election, urging Iranians to accept the results of the balloting when protesters in the streets declared it a fraud. He presided over a crackdown on the demonstrations, during which security forces were unleashed on crowds and activists were prosecuted and jailed. 
  
  But elements throughout the government have moved to check Ahmadinejad's efforts to replace top officials and have gone after the president's closest advisers, U.S. analyst Alireza Nader told CNN. 
  
  "I think it's a symptom of the general dissatisfaction with President Ahmadinejad that his powers and movement are being curtailed by the various power centers in Iran," said Nader, an expert on Iranian politics at the RAND Corp., an American think tank. 
  
  The outspoken Ahmadinejad has long been a lightning rod for Iran's critics. But Haleh Esfandiari, director of Middle Eastern studies at the Woodrow Wilson International Center, said he may be left a "lame duck" after butting heads with Khamenei. 
questions: Where does Nader work?
questions: What is his title?
questions: Does he believe the people are satisfied with President Ahmadinejad?
questions: What is President Ahmadinejad doing?
questions: Why shouldn't he be doing that?
questions: Stating what?
questions: Why not?
questions: Who is he in a power struggle with?
questions: Is he winning?
questions: Has this been a private battle?
questions: Who is Khamenei?
questions: What does Haleh Esfandiari think about the situation?
questions: What does Haleh Esfandiari do?
questions: Where?
questions: When did Khamenei back Ahmadinejad?
questions: Howso?
questions: How else did he help?
questions: Was anyone jailed?
questions: Who?
answers: RAND Corp
answers: RAND Corp
answers: U.S. analyst
answers: U.S. analyst
answers: no
answers: general dissatisfaction with President Ahmadinejad
answers: trying to retain control of Iran's Oil Ministry
answers: trying to retain control of Iran's Oil Ministry
answers: a ruling by the country's top judicial body
answers: a ruling by the country's top judicial body that he can't serve as its acting chief
answers: he can't serve as its acting chief
answers: he can't serve as its acting chief
answers: unknown
answers: unknown
answers: Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei
answers: Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei
answers: yes
answers: colorful president appears to be losing
answers: no
answers: unusually public
answers: Supreme Leader
answers: Supreme Leader
answers: Ahmadinejad may be left a "lame duck"
answers: he may be left a "lame duck" after butting heads with Khamenei
answers: director of Middle Eastern studies
answers: director of Middle Eastern studies
answers: Woodrow Wilson International Center
answers: Woodrow Wilson International Center
answers: through the tumult following the 2009 re-election
answers: through the tumult that followed his hotly disputed 2009 re-election
answers: urged Iranians to accept the results
answers: urging Iranians to accept the results
answers: presided over a crackdown on protests
answers: presided over a crackdown on the demonstrations
answers: yes
answers: activists were prosecuted and jailed. 
answers: activists
answers: activists